It was BBC Vision director George Entwistle's first year in charge of the TV broadcasting, production and web division's Christmas drinks for hacks on Tuesday night. There were great expectations from the assembled throng as Entwistle followed in the footsteps of Jana Bennett and gave a speech to introduce the forthcoming Christmas highlights. He had been suffering from a sore throat, but impressed journalists by grabbing a beer and employing the BBC acronym DQF, also known as Deliberately Quaffing Fast. It worked and he went on to deliver an amusing and self-deprecating speech. Monkey hears that some hacks who are veterans of the Vision drinks were also particularly impressed by its brevity.

DQF: delivering fantastic flyers

Entwistle turned the tables on the media pack by recounting his favourite headlines generated by the BBC's DQF cost-cutting exercise. To recap, this dragged on for months while BBC suits were forced to consider cost-savings proposals suggested by staff – no matter how unlikely. As the Beeb was officially in a consultation period, all exasperated corporation PRs could do when hacks got wind of the latest barmy idea was repeat the mantra: "We are not going to get drawn into a running commentary – no decisions have been taken and therefore these claims remain speculation. Any decisions coming out of the process would be subject to approval by the BBC Trust." Result: a flood of flyers from enterprising media hacks. They included one in the Daily Express about a rumour that EastEnders would be moved to Salford, another that said the cuts would mean fewer monsters in Doctor Who, and one in the Daily Mail suggesting the test card would stage a comeback. There but for the grace of God go all of us. However, Entwistle said his favourite BBC-related headline recently was one in Monday's Daily Sport: "Jeremy Clarkson ate my kittens." At least Clarkson didn't execute them in front of their families.